Read Online The Society of Thirteen by Gareth P. Jones - Free Book Online Page A

way?’ asked Esther.
    â€˜We have options. There are other ways to get by.’
    â€˜What ways? What options?’ Esther turned to face Tom. He tried to look away but she refused to let him. She could see he was hiding something. She would find out what if she had to shake it out of him. ‘What is it?’ she demanded. ‘You’ve been acting odd since this morning. What happened while you were following the Indian?’
    â€˜Nothing. Nothing happened.’
    â€˜I don’t believe you. Tell me what.’
    Tom met her gaze. ‘All right, so I bumped into Hardy,’ he admitted. ‘So what?’
    â€˜Hardy? What did he do to you?’
    â€˜He threatened me is all.’
    â€˜But you got away?’
    â€˜Yes  … ’ Tom hated it when Esther spoke to him as though she was his mother. ‘I told him about Ringmore. I couldn’t see it would do any harm. I thought it might even make him lay off a bit.’
    â€˜Did it?’ said Esther.
    â€˜It will now. I done a deal, you see,’ said Tom. ‘I went to see him again just now. Everything’s going to be all right. That’s why I was late here.’
    â€˜What deal?’
    â€˜A deal to keep him off our backs. We’ll be safe from him now.’
    â€˜What have you done, Tom?’
    â€˜I told him about Ringmore’s house being empty tonight is all. He’ll go and clear it out and we’ll get our cut and then he’ll leave us alone. You see? I done good, didn’t I Est?’
    â€˜
Good
?’ exclaimed Esther. ‘Ringmore will know it was us!’
    Tom shrugged. ‘So we’ll get our money when he comes out here, then disappear. Ringmore won’t send the coppers after us. You’ve seen how secretive he is about everything.’
    â€˜We’ve got to tell him.’ Esther made to cross the road but Tom grabbed her hand and dragged her back, almost pulling her arm free from its socket.
    â€˜Tell him?’ said Tom. ‘Have you lost your mind? What are you going to tell him?’
    â€˜I’m going to tell him he needs to send the coppers round.’
    â€˜You can’t. They’ll find Hardy there.’
    â€˜Good. He deserves to swing.’
    â€˜He’ll get away. You know he will, Est. Then he’ll come looking for us. He’ll kill us. There’s nothing we can do now. It’s done, Est. It’s done.’
    Esther stared angrily at Tom. She knew he was right. She looked up at the study window where silhouettes shifted behind the thick curtains. ‘He trusted us,’ she said. ‘And you’ve betrayed him.’
    â€˜You seen how quick he was to raise his stick when I asked the wrong question. He’s using us and when he’s finished he’ll throw us to the dogs. We’re nothing to him, people like us.’
    â€˜You’re right. We are nothing, but he was giving us a chance to be something.’
    â€˜Chances get taken, not given.’
    Esther knew she couldn’t win the argument. Tom was too stubborn and it was too late. They had betrayed Lord Ringmore and that was that.

Chapter 15
Looted
    As the hansom cab transported Lord Ringmore and Mr Clay across London, they kept the conversation light and avoided further mention of the book for fear of being overheard. Instead the two men discussed Clay’s forthcoming appearance at the Theatre Royal in Victoria, where he was to take to the stage for a solid month of nightly performances. Lord Ringmore expressed doubts that such a long run was wise but Clay explained that they had already sold out the first two weeks and had added the second fortnight due to public demand.
    â€˜My stunt on the Thames created some very positive publicity,’ said Clay. ‘Who needs to pay for expensive advertisements when the columnists of London are so keen to fill their rags with glowing reviews?’
    When the cab drew up outside Lord